The present invention relates in general to a garment such as a shirt, jacket or the like, and more particularly to a stiffener arrangement for use in a garment such as a shirt or jacket.
In a garment such as a shirt, it is known to join adjacent panels together using closures such as buttons, snaps, etc. In a button-down collar-type shirt, it is common to leave the upper buttons or snaps unfastened, to provide an open collar appearance. However, it is also common for the open upper area of the shirt to crumple or buckle under the weight of collar, which can provide an unattractive, rumpled appearance. While starch can be used to stiffen portions of the shirt, this is not an ideal solution in that the effects of the starch can dissipate over time. In addition, overly starched areas of a garment can be uncomfortable. There is thus a need for an arrangement that maintains the open upper areas apart from each other and that prevents the open upper areas of the shirt from collapsing.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a garment adapted to be worn on the upper body of a user includes a pair of adjacent front panels, each of which terminates in an edge area and defines an upper neck area positioned in front of the neck of the user when the garment is worn by the user. A closed passage is provided in each front panel adjacent the edge area of the front panel, and extends downwardly from the upper edge area of the front panel. A stiffener member is contained within each passage, and extends into the upper neck area of the front panel and downwardly therefrom within the closed passage so as not to be removable from within the passage. The stiffener members are configured and arranged so as to maintain the upper neck areas of the adjacent front panels apart from each other when the garment is worn.
Representatively each closed passage may be defined by a garment placket. A collar having an interior may be located above the upper neck area of each front panel, and the stiffener member is preferably configured to extend into the interior of the collar. The collar may be secured to the upper neck area of each front panel by a series of stitches, and the stitches may extend through the stiffener member. A closure component, such as a button, extends through the interior of the collar, and the stiffener member includes an open area through which the closure component extends.
A closure component, such as a button or snap, may be located adjacent to and spaced inwardly from the edge area of each front panel below the collar, and extends through the closed passage. The stiffener member is positioned between the edge area and the closure component within the passage. In one form, a series of spaced apart closure components are located adjacent to and spaced inwardly from the edge area of each front panel, and the stiffener member extends between a pair of closure components located below the upper neck area of the front panel.
The stiffener member may include a narrowed portion that extends between a first pair of closure components and a widened portion located between a second pair of closure components. The widened portion extends to a location inwardly of the closure components relative to the narrowed portion, and prevents the stiffener member from rolling within the passage.
The invention also contemplates a method of fabricating a garment adapted to be worn on the upper body of a user, substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.
These and other features and aspects of the present invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating a representative embodiments of the present invention, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
In describing the embodiment of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, it is not intended that the invention be limited to the specific terms so selected and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. For example, the word connected, attached, or terms similar thereto are often used. They are not limited to direct connection but include connection through other elements where such connection is recognized as being equivalent by those skilled in the art.